Tunnel liner



Aug. 15, 1933. R. V. PROCTOR TUNNEL. LINER Original Filed June 1, 1929 5Sheets-Sheet 1 h w i M. m n .l n J n m N m- M M N" -m H m N m n M NJ. wN4 g C l 1;: M. --E i,

INVENTCR WA: mam

QAgW/M Aug; ,15, 1933. R. v. PROCTOR TUNNEL LINER Original Filed June 1,1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 R. V. PROCTOR TUNNEL LINER Aug. 15, 1933.

5 Shets-Sheet 5 Original Filed June 1, 1929 a I a 39 40 5 39* Aug. 15,1933.

R. v. PROVCTOR. 1,923,006

TUNNEL LINER Original Filed June 1,, 1929 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Aug. R vPROCTQfl 1,923,006

' TUNNEL LINER Original Filed June 1, 1929 v 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORW-k/m;

Patented Aug. 15, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT v OFFICE 1,923,006 TUNNELLINER Robert V. Proctor, Youngstown, Ohio, assignor to The CommercialShearing & Stamping Company, Youngstown, Ohio, a Corporation of @hio No.540,149 L 24 Claims. (01. 61-45) This application is a continuation ofmy copending application, Serial No. 36'l,729, filed June l, 192 9, forLiners.

My invention relates to liners, and more particularly to tunnel liners.

One manner of advancing tunnels, where soft earth is encountered, isthat of forcing a shield into the earth ahead of a series of abutting;circular courses of a metallic tunnel liner. The shield, which has across sectional shape corresponding to the shape of the finishedtunnela'nd whichis slightly larger than the tunnel liner, is providedwith a tail which overlaps a portion of the completed liner. The shieldis advanced by interposing jacks between the forward course of thecompleted portion of the tunnel liner and the shield, and extending thejacks as earth is removed from in front of the shield.

After the shield is advanced a distance at least as great as the widthof a liner course, the jacks are retracted and a new course is put inposition. The jacks are thereafter placed in engagement with the newlycompleted course, preparatory to again advancing the shield a distancecorresponding to the width of a course.

The courses are each made up of a plurality of segments connected 'toform circumferentially extending bands or rings, which withstandcircumferential forces applied to the tunnel by the surrounding earthand forces set up by the shield.

I have invented a tunnel liner segment for withstanding the forcesexerted by the jacks as the shield is advanced. According to theinvention, liner segments are provided with thrust 'members extendingbetween the side edges of the segments longitudinally of the tunnel. Theforces exerted against the forward course of a tunnel liner as theshield is advanced are of considerable magnitude. The longitudinalforces applied to any particular course are reduced as the tunnelprogresses beyond that course so I provide transverse thrust memberswhich may be temporarily inserted in the courses for subsequent removal.Other thrust members are permanent parts of the segments and remain inthe bearing against the opposite side walls of the segment in adirection longitudinally of the tunnel. However, the curved portions ofthe segments at the bases of the side walls, if allowed to remain intheir natural positions, necessitate the cutting back of the ends of thethrust mem- Bers at the side walls. As the rigidity of the tunnel lineras a whole depends upon the absorption of longitudinal forces bysuccessive courses rather than by the first few courses in the tunnel,it is desirablethat the side walls of each segment firmly engage theends of the thrust members, which are usually of standard metal shapes,herein illustrated as I-beams.

To provide a substantially fiat engaging face between the ends of eachthrust member and the cooperating side walls, the curved portions of thesegment are offset laterally relative to the major portion of the rearwall of each segment. Preferably the curved portions are offsetrearwardly of the segment or outwardly of the tunnel liner. With thisconstruction, the major portion of one of the surfaces of each thrustmember engages the rear wall of the segment, and the ends bear againstsubstantially flat side walls of the segment so that forces appliedexternally of the side walls are transmitted directly to the thrustmembers without material distortion of the segments.

Where the segments are distorted, difliculty is had in keeping thetunnel alinement and in pre:- venting the leakage of water and fineearth through-the tunnel liner. If the tunnel is of considerable length,the cumulative effect of such leakage may prove considerable unless careis taken to insure a good joint as each segment is added to thepreviously completed tunnel liner. The present structure is particularlyadapted for use with tunnels of large size.

' Where the tunnels are built along curves, difllculty has heretoforebeen experienced in properly curving the tunnel liner. In order tobetter enable the tunnel liner to follow curved tunnels,

I provide courses which are tapered, in that they are wider on one sidethan at a diametrically opposite point. By inserting 'the taperedcourses between those of regular size and shape, it is possible to causethe tunnel liner to conform to curves without requiring the use of anexcessive number of specially shaped sections.

The accompanying drawings illustrate certain present preferredembodiments of the invention, in which L Figure 1 is a longitudinal planview of a portion of a curved liner,

interfere with a close fit between the reinforcing Lee 4 changing thedirection of the tunnel, tapered Figure 2 is a broken perspective viewof a liner segment,

Figure 3 is a similar view of a tapered segment,

Figure 4 is a broken longitudinal sectional View of a segment in theposition it normally occupies temporary, longitudinally extending,reinforcing members secured intermediate the permanent reinforcingmembers,

Figure 8 is a perspective view of a portion of a tunnel linerillustrating a method of closing the seams between adjacent plates,

Figure 9 is a cross sectional view thereof taken along the section lineIX-IX of Figure 8,

Figure 10 is a sectional view through a circumferential reinforcing ribtaken along the section line X-X of Figure 8,

Figure 11 is a cross sectional view of a circumferentially extendingreinforcing rib showing another method of closing the joint,

Figure 12 is a similar view of another form of joint, and

Figure 13 is a similar view' of a further modification of the invention,

Referring to the drawings, a tunnel liner 2 comprises a series ofcourses 3, each of which is composed of a plurality of segments 4 ofsubstantially rectangular shape. The edges of the segments in thecourses 3 are secured together to form circumferentially extendingreinforcing ribs within the tunnel liner, which ribs withstand lateralpressures applied to the liner. For

courses 6 comprising tapered segments 7, of dif- .ferent widths, areinserted between the courses 3.

By disposing the tapered courses 7 intermediate groups of courses 3comprising plates 4 of regu- =lar shape, the direction of. the tunnelcan be shifted, as shown by the'dotted lines in Figure 1, withoutrequiring specially shaped segments for each course, thereby resultingin a material economy in the cost of the segments used.

Referring to Figures 2, 4 and 5, each segment 4 comprises sheet of metalbent to form a skin plate, rear wall, or body section 8, and laterallyextending sections 9 constitute side walls for the segment; Preferablythe side walls 9 are bent at substantially right angles to the plane ofthe rear wall 8, although it is to be understood that for certainpurposes the angle of-- inclination of the side walls to the rear wallmay be varied.

1 The rear wall 8 of each segment constitutes a portion of the outerwall of the tunnel liner when the liner is assembled. The sections '8and 9 are connected by curved, offset sections 10.

with considerable portions of the outer face of.

each beam in engagement with the inner face of the rear wall 8. The endsof the reinforcing members 11 are cut square to meet the sub-'stantially flat faces of the side walls 9.

If it were attempted'to bend-the side walls 9 upwardly from the plane ofthe rear wall 8, the flllet which would inevitably be formed wouldliner.

eeaooe members 11, the side walls 9 and the rear wall 8. A corner ateach end of the reinforcing member would have to be cut away to permitthe desired close fit, or else the reinforcing member would have to bespaced so far from the rear wall 8 as to lose the rigidity imparted tothe segment by the engagement therewith of the reinforcing members 11.

1 By offsetting the bent sections 10 relative to the plane of the rearwall 8, as by dishing in the latter, the obstructing fillets aredisplaced laterally of the plane of the rear wall. With thisconstruction, the surfaces of the several reinforcing members 11 engagesubstantially fiat surfaces of the rear wall 8 for considerable lengths,and the side sections 9 present substantially fiat surfaces to the endsof the reinforcing members.

When the segments are placed in courses, the reinforcing members 11 ofthe successive courses cooperate to distribute longitudinal strains,such as are imposed by the jacks in advancing the shield at the head ofa tunnel, over a considerable number of courses instead of concentratingsuch forces at the foremost courses. Where excessive pressures areconcentrated on theforemost courses danger of deforming the coursesexists, with a subsequent liability to leakage at the seams.

The ends of the segments a are closed by end walls formed of flat pieces14, which are secured in any suitable manner as by internal welds 15 tothe ends of the side walls 9. Angle irons or other reinforcing means 16extend longitudinally of the segments 4 near the outer edges of thewalls 9, to which they are secured as by welds 1'7. The legs of theangle irons 16 engaging the side walls 9 may abut the upper surfaces ofthe thrust members 11, to which they may be secured by welds 18. Otherwelds 19 secure the angleiron flanges to the inner'surfaces of the sidewalls 9. The side walls 9 and end walls 14 are provided with openings 20and 21, respectively, for the reception of clamping bolts 22, or othersecuring means such as rivets, when the segments are assembled to formcourses whereby adjacent courses are secured to each other.

The angle irons 16 and side walls 9 are preferably placedcircumferentially of a tunnel liner so that they constitute reinforcingribs between adjacent courses. Openings 23 in the skin plates ofsegments 4 are-provided for feeding grout outside of the finished tunnelliner. Tie plates 24 may be attached to the segments 4 for connectingthem to adjacent segments.

Referring to Figurefi, a key segment 25 is provided for completing eachcourse of the tunnel The several key segments 25 have end walls inclinedso as to taper toward the exterior of the liner. After a number ofsegments 4 of regular size are in position, a slightly shorter segmentis added having an inclined end wall 14a.

. The key or wedge segment is then forced into the space remaining openin the course. By providing a tapering wedge or key'segment, the courseis caused to take its proper shape by the application of 'anexpandingforce in an arc of the liner, as distinguished from expanding the courseby applying jacks along chords of the liner. By using a key or wedgesegment for completing the course,

Ill

"Ill

load on the finished tunnel liner and to supply additional temporaryreinforcing members 27 during the constructionof the tunnel liner. Thetemporary reinforcing members are disposed between the rear walls 8 ofthe segments and the flanges of the angle irons 16. However, instead ofbeing welded to the wall of the segment and to the angle irons,temporary supporting and wedging blocks 28 are driifen between thesecond flanges of the angle irons and tops of the reinforcing members,as shown in Figure 7. Certain of the details of the construction andoperation of temporary reinforcing members are shown and described in U.S. patent to Cushwa, No. 1,843,102, granted January 26, 1932. l

The segments constituting the tapered courses 6 are substantiallysimilar to the segments 4, as shown in Figure 3, except that the lengthsof the reinforcing members 11' decrease progressively in a directionlongitudinally of the segments, and the walls 14' of the segments are ofdifferent lengths, as illustrated in Figure 3. It is to be understood,however, that only one pair of segments '7 having the same dimensionsare used in any one course 6. Such segments are preferably placed atopposite positions in the course at the ends of chords perpendicular tothe plane in which the tunnel is to be curved. Successive pairs of suchopposite segments vary in size in accordance with their positions in thetunnel liner. By shifting the relative positions of the segments ofmaximum and minimum width in any tapered course 6, the direction of thetunnel liner may be shifted horizontally, vertically, or at anintermediate angle as desired.

For preventing seepage of water between adjacent segments and courses, Imay utilize any one of a number of different constructions. In Figure 6gaskets 30 are shown between the walls 14 and 14a of adjacent plates. Itis to be understood that similar gaskets may be utilized betweenadjacent end walls 9 if desired.

Where the dimensions of the tunnel liners are considerable, ll prefer topositively seal the joints between the segments by metallic or othercaulking substances in preference to the use of gaskets.

Figures 6, 2 and lo illustrate one manner of closing such joints.Segments 31 are provided along their integral side walls 32 with angleirons 33, corresponding to the angle irons, 16, which have legs 34extending beyond the ends of the walls 32. The legs 34 on adjacentsegments are curved outwardly beyond the ends of the walls 32 so that apocket 35 is formed between the ends of the walls 32 and overhangingshoulders 36 on the angle irons 33. The pockets 35 are filled withintermittent welded beads 37 connecting the walls 32 and around whichwaterproofing material 38,

such as lead, oakum, or the like, is packed.

.llsshown in Figures 9 and 16, substantially the same pocket jointconstruction is used for the integral side walls 32 of the plates, asshown in Figure 16, and for the welded end walls 33, shown in Figure 9.Each wall 39 comprises a plate 3% and a re-enforcingangle iron 3% shapedto provide a portion of a pocket 46 for caulking material. fntermittentor continuous welds 37 connect the plates 39a and angle irons39b;thereby preventing spreading when the caulking material is inserted.The walls 32 and 39 are illustrated as being secured together by bolts41 which are surrounded by grommets 42. It is to be under stood,however, that rivets may be substituted for the bolts 41,-in which casethe grommets are not needed. The grommets 42 are preferably of lead. Theforces applied to the segments are considerable and a durable metallicjoint is needed to prevent leakage through the bolt holes. In the caseof rivets, the holes in the walls are closed by the rivet heads.

Referring to Figure 11, where segment walls 44 extend beyond theadjacent reinforcing flanges 45, the joints between the segments 44 and45 may be made by continuous or intermittent welds 46 and the jointbetween the walls 44 is closed by a continuous weld 47. Rivets 48 holdthe walls 44 together. The welds 46 and 47 may merge into each other, ifdesired.

Referring to Figure 12, I have illustrated a modification of theinvention in which segment walls 49 and 50 are of unequal lengths. Thewall 49 extends outwardly beyond an attached angle iron 51 and beyondthe end of the wall 50. A continuous or intermittently welded bead 52connects the wall 49 and angleiron 51. A similar bead 54 connects thewall 50 and an angle iron 55. A caulking tool 56 is used for closing thejoint between the walls 49 and 50 by driving an edge 57 of the wall 50against the outer surface of the wall 49.

In Figure 13 l have illustrated a form of the inventionin which astraight side wall 58 is secured to an angle iron 59 by a welded bead66.

A side wall 61 on an adjacent segment is provided with an offset portion62 which cooperates with a corresponding offset portion 64 of an angleiron 65 to which it is secured by a welded head 66. The space betweenthe side wall 58 and the offset portion 62 of the wall 61 is filled withcaulking no material 67, such as lead, oakum or the like.

While I have shown rivets 48 connecting the B side walls of the platesin the forms of my inven-" tion shown in Figures ll, 12 and 13, it is tobe understood that bolts and grommets, similar to those shown in Figures8, 9 and 10 may be used if desired. The presence of the bolts and/orrivets connecting the walls of adjacent segments holds the segments inclose alinement and cares forreverse strains, such as sometimes occur intunnel liners and which might tend to separate the plates. 0 7

While I have shown and described the present preferred embodiment of myinvention, it is to be understood that it may be otherwise variouslyembodied without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scopeof the appended claims.

l. A liner segment for earth borings compris ing a skin plate havingside walls bent at an angle thereto, a thrust member extending along theinner surface of said skin plate abutting said walls, and curvedportions connecting the side walls and the skin plate and being offsetrelative to the latter. 0

2. A liner segment for underground passages comprising a dished rearwall, integral side walls and connecting curved portions, and a thrustmember extending along the inner surface of said rear wall and engagingsaid side walls, said 1 0 curved portions being offset relative to themajor portion of the rear wall, in such manner that the thrust memberengages a smooth surface of considerable area at the rear wall andengages substantially flat surfaces of the side walls at the endsthereof.

3. A liner segment for underground borings comprising a skin platehaving side walls bent at an angle thereto, a thrust member extending F9along the inner surface of said rear wall and'e'ngaging said side walls,curved portions connecting said skin plate to said side walls and beingoffset relative to said skin plate whereby the walls and plate presentsubstantially fiat faces to said thrust member, and means for closingthe ends of the segment.

i. A tunnel liner segment comprising a skin plate, side walls integraltherewith, and curved sections lying outside the plane of the skin plateconnecting the plate and side walls.

5. A tunnel liner segment comprising a skin plate, integral side wallsextending at an angle to the plate, curved sections lying outside theplane of the plate connecting the plate and the side walls, and platessecured to. the ends of the skin plate and side walls, to form end wallsfor the completed. liner segment.

6. A tunnel lining subject to axial thrust during construction,comprising a plurality of rings, each formed of a plurality of wroughtmetal segments, each segment being composed of a skin plate, side wallsfor the segment of substantially equal depth extending inwardly of saidshin plate, reinforcing means extending" longitudinally of both the sidewalls and projecting at an angle therefrom and equally spaced from theskin plate, the slain plate, side walls and reinforcing members for boththe latter constituting a unitary structure, and transverse members forthe segment engaging said side walls to sustain said thrust, saidmembers being so positioned in the segments that when the segments aredisposed in adjacent rings, the members are in substantial alinement,and effective to remove the thrust load in part, at least, from the skinplates.

7. A tunnel liner segment comprising skin plate, side walls therefor ofequal depth, both side walls having means equally spaced from the plateprojecting inwardly thereof to increase the section modulus of thesegment, and to resist transverse deflection of the side walls betweenpoints of attachment when two segments are secured together side byside, said skin plate, side walls, and the modulus-increasing means forboth the latter constituting a unitary structure, and thrust membersextending across the skin plate, engaging the side walls, and disposedso as to be in substantial alinement with similar members in segmentspositioned laterally adjacent thereto in a tunnel lining, providing ribsaxially of the tunnel for resisting the axial thrust to which the liningmay be subjected.

8. A tunnel lining subject to axial thrust during construction,comprising a plurality of rings, eachforrned of a plurality of wroughtmetal segments, each segment being composed of a skin plate, side wallsfor the segment extending in wardly of said skin plate, end walls forthe segment abutting the side walls and skin plate, and transversemembers for the segments having plane, square-cut ends engaging saidside walls to resist said thrust, the transverse, members being sopositioned in the segments that when the segments are disposed insuccessive rings, the members of laterally adjacent segments are insubstantial alinement, and form ribs axially of the tunnel, effective toremove the thrust load in part, at least, from the slain plates.

9. A tunnel liner segment comprising a substantially rectangular skinplate curved longitudinally,

side walls for the segment, of equal depth and extending inwardly fromthe curved edges of the plate, and members extending transversely of theplate, having plane, square-cut ends abutting the side walls, and sopositioned in the segment that Loaaooo when the segments are connectedto form successive rings in a tunnel lining, the members in laterallyadjacent segments are substantially in alinement and constitute axialribs serving to transmit the axial thrust to which the lining issubjected, thereby relieving the skin plate, at least partially, of saidthrust.

10. A tunnel lining segment comprising a skin plate and side walls ofequal depth therefor, both side walls having means equally spaced fromthe plate projecting inwardly thereof to increase the section modulus ofthe segment, and to resist transverse deflection of the side wallsbetween points of attachment when two segments are secured together sideby side, said plate, walls, and

skin plate, side walls, and angularly disposed,

longitudinally extending reinforcement for said walls, saidreinforcement, the side walls and edges of the plates of adjacentsegments constituting a circumferential inwardly projecting rib ofE-section between adjacent rings.

12. A tunnel liner segment comprising a substantially rectangular,longitudinally curved, plate, side walls therefor of substantially equaldepth extending inwardly from the curved edges of the plate, andlongitudinal reinforcement ex tending along the side walls parallel tothe skin plate and inwardly of the side walls, from points thereonspaced substantially equally from the plate.

A. tunnel liner segment comprising a rec tangular plate curved in onedirection, side walls of substantially equal depth for the plate,extending inwardly of the curved edges thereof at right angles thereto,and longitudinal reinforcements for said walls extending therealonginwardly thereof at right angles thereto, the reinforcements of bothwalls being spaced the same distance from the plate.

14;. i i tunnel liner segment comprising a curved skin plate, side wallsof substantially equal depth extending inwardly at substantially rightangles to the skin plate, and angle irons secured to the side walls.adjacent the inner edges of the latten said angle irons having oneflange en.- gaging the side walls and the other fiange extend nginwardly thereof parallel to the skin plate, and spaced substantiallythe same distance from the skin plate.

15. A tunnel liner segment comprising a substantially rectangular skinplate curved in one direction, side walls extending laterally from thecurved sides of said plate, and end walls secured to the ends of saidskin plate and side walls, said end walls having a cutout portionadjacent their inner edge.

16. A tunnel liner segment comprising a bac of wrought plate metal bentto substantially the form of an arc of a circle and constituting thelining portion, side walls of wrought metal of substantially equaldepth, extending inwardly from the back and extending substantially theentire length thereof so that when the plates are assembled inend-to-end relation the side walls constitute substantially continuouslyextending, inwardly disposed supporting ribs, and wrought metalreinforcing portions extending inwardly at an angle to such wallsadjacent their inner edges and substantially equally spaced from theback, and being of such form and dimensions as t prevent the ribs frombuckling.

lad

lid

all

till

neeaeoe 17. a tunnel liner segment comprising a skin plate, side wallstherefor, longitudinal reinforcing means for both said walls disposed atan angle thereto and effective to resist transverse deflection of theside walls of adjacent segments between points of attachment whensecured together, the reinforcing means for atleast one of said sidewalls extending inwardly thereof, the side walls and reinforcing meansof adjacent connected segments together with the edges of the skinplates forming parts thereof, constituting an inwardly projecting hangedrib between said adjacent connected segments.

18. A tunnel liner segment comprising a skin plate, side walls therefor,longitudinal reinforcing means for both said walls disposed at an anglethereto and effective to resist transverse deflection of the side wallsof adjacent segments between points of attachment when secured together,the reinforcing means for at least one ofsaid side walls extendinginwardly thereof, the side walls and reinforcing means of adjacentconnected segments together with the edges of the skin plates formingparts thereof, constituting an inwardly projecting flanged rib betweensaid adjacent connected segments, and transverse thrust membersextending across the skin plate and engaging the side walls, saidmembers being of such size as to be capable of carryng the major portionof the load axially of the tunnel to which the segment may be subjected.

19..A tunnel liner segment comprising a skin plate, side wallstherefor,longitudinal reinforcing means for both said walls disposed at an anglethereto and effective to resist transverse deilection of the side wallsof adjacent segments between points of attachment when secured to-.

gether, the reinforcing means for at least one of said side wallsextending inwardly thereof, the side walls and reinforcing means ofadjacent connected segments together with the edges of the skin platesforming parts thereof, constituting an inwardly projecting flanged ribbetween said adjacent connected segments, and end plates secured to theskin plate and side walls.

20. In a tunnel liner segment, a plate having its edge portions bent upto form side walls of equal depth, and reinforcing bars attached to theinside surfaces of said sidewalls adjacent their edges and equallyspaced from the body of the plate, said bars having a dimension radiallyof the segment less than the depth of said walls.

21. A tunnel lining segment comprising a plate having its edge portionsbent up to form side walls, the curved portion at the junction of theside walls and the plate being oflset from the plane of the latter, andlongitudinal reinforcing members attached to said side walls adjacenttheir edges,

22. A tunnel lining segment comprising a skin plate and side walls ofequal depth therefor, both side walls having means equally spaced fromthe plate projecting inwardly thereof to increase the section modulus ofthe segment, said plate, walls, and the modulus-increasing means of boththe latter constituting a unitary structure, and to resist transversedeflection ofthe side walls between points of attachment when twosegments are secured together side by side, the aforementioned unitarystructure. having a longitudinal recess adjacent the edge of one of theside walls forming caulking grooves accessible from the interior of thelining when the segments are placed side by side.

23. A tunnel lining segment comprising a plate having its edge portionsbent up to form side walls, the curved portion at the junction of theside walls and the plate being offset from the plane of the latter,longitudinal reinforcing members attached to said side walls adjacenttheir edges, and a longitudinal recess adjacent the edge of one of saidside walls adapted to form a caulking groove when segments are disposedside by side in a tunnel lining.

2a. A tunnel liner segment comprising a skin plate, side wallstherefore, longitudinal reinforcing means for both said walls disposedat an angle thereto and eifective to resist transverse deflection of theside walls of adjacent segments between points of attachment whensecured together, the reinforcing means for at least one of said sidewalls extending inwardly thereof, the" side walls and reinforcing meansof adjacent connected segments together with the edges of the skinplates forming parts thereof, constituting an inwardly projectingflanged rib between said adjacent connected segments, and plates securedto the skin plate and side walls, and, a

ill

lllil ldd lilll recess adjacent the edge of at least one of the endwalls, adapted to form a caulking groove when segments are disposed endto end.

. I ROBERT V. PROCTOR.

its

